Truss.



Gr. W. BELL.

l l muss. APPLIOATIORFILBD SBPT.30,1908.

934,130. Patented Sept. 14,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wilma/sow n l I l M andava,

G. W'. BELL. TRUSS.

APPLICATION PILED SEPT. 30, 190B.

934,130. Patented sepan, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wuhan ANDREW, l:4 GRAHAM co.. FHoTpMTHoGRAPHERs. wAsMlNGmN, D. c.

GEORGE W. BELL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

TRUSS.

Speceation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

Application led September 30, 1908. Serial No. 455,413.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Truss; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to trusses for the treat-ment and cure of thevarious forms of rupture and hernia, and it has for its ob` jects toproduce a truss of simple and improved construction which may be readilyadjusted to the anatomy of the wearer in view of the conditions of thepart-icular case which is being treated.

A further object is to provide a truss the pads of which may be readilyadjusted and manipulated so as to exert the desired pressure inprecisely required spot.

Further objects are to simplify and improve the construction andoperation of this class of devices. i

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts,which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention; it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theinvention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings- Figure l is a perspective view of a truss embodying thefeatures of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of thefront pad, showing the structureof the connection between the pad andthe member A. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the back pad C', showing therear face thereof and the connection between it and the member A. Fig. iis a sectional view longitudinally through the pad C. Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional view through the pad C at right angles to thatshown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the pad C,clearly disclosing the rear face thereof, in order to 5 show the keepers13 and the recess 15. Fig.

7 is a sectional view through the back pad D, showing the constructionthereof and the tubular sleeve or socket 36. Fig. 8 is a sectional viewsimilar to Fig. 7, showing the spring 28 carrying the tubular sleeve orsocket 36.

Corresponding parts in the several gures are denoted by like charactersof reference.

Referring to the drawings, a supporting member or spring A is clearlyillustrated. This member or spring A is preferably made of any suitabletempered non-corrodi ble metal, such as silver, or other metal or othermaterial that is plated or otherwise protected against corrosion. Thisspring or supporting member is suitably shaped and curved to fit andrest easily upon the hips of the person wearing the truss; saidsupporting member or spring may be readily bent, fitted and adjusted toany peculiarities of the anatomy of the wearer. Carried by thesupporting member are back and front pads C and D. The front pad' D ispreferably composed of a plurality of thicknesses or layers 17 ofleather or other suitable material cut to the desired shape; said layersor lifts being connected together by stitching, riveting or in any otherconvenient manner. A fiat spring 1.8 is interposed between two of thelifts 17, said spring being of such dimensions as to project at thelower edge of the pad where it is provided with notches or serrations19, forming a plurality of resilient members 20, which are capable of being individually manipulated and bent so as to exert varying degress ofpressure. The pad D is equipped with body engaging cushion 21, havingflanges 22 that engage the spring fingers 20 and which is subject to thedirect pressure of said fingers. It will be readily seen that byproperly bending and manipulating the fingers 20, the flanges 22 of thecushion may be made to exercise varying degrees of pressure against thebody of the wearer, and that the pressure 1s capable of being adjustedand regulated very minutely and accurately. The cushion may be saturatedwith any suitable liniment or medicament that it may be desired to usein connection with the truss.

For the purpose of mounting the pad D in position for operation, it isprovided with a supporting spring 23, to which the tubular sleeve orsocket 36 is integrally connected, into which is threaded the screw 87,as shown s clearly in the detailed sectional view of-Fig.

8 of thedraw'ings." But, as 'shownfin Figs. 1 and 2, the pad D hasconnected to a plate thereof the tubular sleeve or socketj36.

Upon the front end of the supporting member, there is secured a casting29 having a slit or bifurcated terminal socket 30, which is internallythreaded for the reception of a slightly tapering screw or bolt 31, bythe insertion of which the split or bifurcat-ed socket-portion will beexpanded so as to bear friotionally against'asleeve 32 fitted externallythereon and having an arm 33 which .is radial to the axis of the bolt.The sleeve 32 1s provided at one endrwith notches 34 adapted to beengaged by a lug 35 upon the casting 29; hence, when the parts areassembledtogether, and secured byl means ofthe screw 31, the parts willbeheld securely in position, and the sleeve 32 will be prevented fromturning upon the socketlportion 3() of the casting 29, partly owingtothe yfriction due to the expansion of the socket-portion by theinsertion of the tapering screw, and partly owing to the engagement ofone of the notches 34 with the lug 35. A'

As shown in the drawings, the socket 36 engages the 111111133, andrislprovided with a' set screw 37, which 1s designed to bear against saidarm, in order to hold the pad firmly secured. Under the constructionV-described., it isvery obvious that thepad is universally adjustable,and that any desired Vadjustment may be very readily and quicklyeffected. It is lalso clear that the partswill be very securely retainedin any position to `which they may be adjusted; and that the adjustmentmay be very readily changed yas often as may be desired.

of leather10, 10, suitably. connected by rivet.

ing or in any other suitable and convenient manner; saidjpad ispreferably provided with a facing 11 of textile material and, ifdesired, with a stufling l2 of soft and yielding material, such ascotton wool. The pad C is provided with metallic keepers 13 slidablyengaging the reduced rear ends of the supporting member A; and thelatter is equipped with a metallic loop 14 which is seated in al recess.15 of the pad, intermediate the keepers 13, and, which is provided witha set screw 16 bearing'against the supporting' member or spring A', uponwhich the loop 14 is securedV in such-wise as to retain the pad againstdisplacement; it will Ybe readily seen that by loosening the kscrewquite to Vbe riveted orotherwise secured upor the pad, andthe latter maybe readily adjusted and detached, as required. Y

rThis truss inayrbe'secured or retained'ir. position for operationbymeans of asingle elastic strap 38 having terminal loops39 and 40 which,in thisv case, are madeto engage tlie 4setscrews that are Vutilized formounting' the frontV and'rear pads in position. The supporting membermay be guarded and protected by .any sui-table casing or covering.; suchprotective covering'has been indicated inthe drawings, at V41', -anditis desired to be understood that it may be of any desired material andconstruction. 1 Y

An electrical attachment `or appliance `may be used with the improvedtruss; such appliance comprises a battery or pile F inclosed within asuitable casing G, that maybe mounted upon or attached to the supportingmember, said battery Vbeing provided with positive and negative vdisks42 and 43'having pins 44, whereby they may be mounted upon or connectedwith the body of the wearer. The use of such electrical appliance'iswell understood, and it requires no Vfurther detailed description. L

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with lthe drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will bereadily understood. This improved truss is, extremely simple'inconstruction and is so designed as to be capable of being very minutelyand vaccurately adjusted to produce the very best results in connectionwith the treatment of vany given case, Not only are the pads capable ofin-` dividual adjustments, but, owing to the con` struction ofthefrontpad, the. projecting fingers thereof may be individually bent and;adjusted, so as to cause the desi-red amount of pressure to be exertedin any given spot.; this beino of the greatest importance in thesuccessful treatmentl'of hernia, as `well as conducive to the comfort ofthe patient.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: Y

1. In a truss, aV curved resilient supporting member, a back pad havingkeepers slidably engaging the supporting-member and a loop secured uponthe supporting member inter'- mediate the keepers. l

2. In a truss, a lcurved resilient supporting member, a back pad havingkeepers slidably engaging the supporting member and proj vided wltharecess intermediate the keepers, j a loop tted in thel recess andslidably engaging the supporting member,` and a set screw in said loopbearing against the supY porting-member. A -V 3. In a truss, a curvedresilientsupporting f member having a terminal cast-ing provided with asplit internally threaded socket and a lug adj acent thereto, a sleevemounted upon the socket and provided withlug engaging J notches and witha radial arm, a tapering screw engaging the socket, and a pad having asleeve engaging the radial arm and provided with a set-screw bearino'against said arm, said pad having a plurality of projecting resilientfingers.

4. In a truss a curved resilient supporting member having a terminalcasting provided with an internally threaded split socket, a taperingscrew engaging the socket, a sleeve fitted externally upon lthe socketand having a radial arm and a pad having a sleeve engaging said arm.

5. In a truss, a curved resilient supporting member having a terminalcasting provided with a split internally threaded socket and a lugadjacent thereto, a sleeve mounted upon the socket and provided withlug-engaging lnotches and with a radial arm, a tapering screw engagingthe socket, and a pad having a sleeve engaging the radial arm andprovided with a set screw bearing against said arm.

6. In a truss, a curved resilient supporting member2 a back pad havingkeepers slidably engaging the supporting member, a loop secured upon thesupporting member intermediate the keepers, said supporting memberhaving a terminal casting provided with a split internally threadedsocket and a lug adjacent thereto, a sleeve mounted upon the socket andprovided with lug engaging notches and with a radial arm, a taperingscrew engaging the socket, and a pad having a sleeve engaging the radialarm and provided with a set-screw bearing against said arm, said padhaving a plurality of projecting resilient fingers.

7. In a truss, a curved resilient supporting member, a back pad havingkeepers slidably engaging the supporting member, a loop secured upon thesupporting member intermediate the keepers, said supporting memberhaving a terminal casting provided with an internally threaded splitsocket, a tapering screw engaging the socket, a sleeve fitted externallyupon the socket and having a radial arm and a pad having a sleeveengaging said arm, said last named pad having a plurality of projectingresilient fingers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of I two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. BELL.

qWitnesses W. T. HACKER, J. E. VINCIL.

